Keck's Exclusives: Smash's Sophomore Season Surprises

Smashexecutive producers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's high-energy music and lyrics for the show's fictional play Bombshell helped earn the NBC drama a Golden Globe nod for Best Comedy/Musical. For Season 2, premiering February 5, the duo have composed tunes for other faux Broadway shows that will compete with Bombshell for ticket sales as the Marilyn Monroe-themed production nears its premiere.

The producers also have lined up impressive guest stars. After Tom (Christian Borle) forgets someone's birthday, he "surprises the character by having Liza Minnelli sing a song he wrote," says Shaiman. Sean Hayes takes on the John Malkovich role in a musical version of Dangerous Liaisons and sings "It's Not My Fault," in which "he gets to flirt with all these big-busted women and go completely insane," Shaiman teases. And Jennifer Hudson plays Tony winner Veronica Moore, the lead in Beautiful, a 1960s-set, Hairspray-esque musical.